Freya
The Realm under Freya, alternativley Realm of Freya when used in a non-religious context, is self-declared state and new-nation project in Freya. Etymology The word Freya is a modernization of the name Freyja, a god of death, war, and love in Norse mythology, who is the wife of Odin. History Pre-Micronational The history of California can be divided into: the Native American period; European exploration period from 1542 to 1769; the Spanish colonial period, 1769 to 1821; the Mexican period, 1821 to 1848; and United States statehood, which continues to the present day. Native American Period The early history of California is characterized by being surrounded by barriers nearly isolating the state: the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Sierra Nevada mountains backed by the nearly barren Great Basin in the east, the Mojave Desert and Sonora Desert areas in the southern interior and Redwood–Douglas fir forests on the rugged mountainous North Coast. The near isolation of the California Indian tribes led them to develop cultures different from the other Indian cultures in the Americas. California Indian tribes had essentially no agriculture (with the exception of the Colorado River Indians) and were hunter-gatherers. The Indians had no crops, advanced cities, accumulated wealth or organized civilizations to exploit. Spanish Colonization After initial explorations, the Spaniards left Alta California alone for over 200 years. Relative isolation continued even after Spanish Missions, the Presidio and pueblo settlements began to be developed in 1769. The only easy communication with the rest of New Spain (Mexico) was by ship, as the Quechan (Yuma) Indians shut down the Anza Trail in 1781. This trail (discovered in 1776), across Arizona along the Gila River and the Colorado River crossing (Yuma Crossing), was the only "easy" way by land from Mexico to California. Essentially the only communication from Mexico to California was via a 30-50 day sailing ship voyage against the south bound California Current and the often opposing winds. The sailing ship trip from California to Mexico was much easier, but first the traveler had to get to California. Since California initially had very few settlers and essentially no exports and could afford only a very few imports for its few inhabitants, ships to and from California were few. The average number of ships going to Alta California from 1770 to 1821 was 2.5 ships/year, with 13 years showing no recorded ships. The small number of ships meant that few new residents arrived, so that increases in the Californio population were nearly all due to internal growth of the original settlers. Mexican Independence After Mexico gained its independence from Spain and acquired the Province of Alta California in 1821, the Californios started developing approximately 500 large (over 18,000 acres (73 km2) each) Ranchos of California. Most were granted on former Mission lands, given for little or no money to friends and family of the California authorities. The Californios lived mostly on their ranchos or at the five pueblos (towns) in California. These ranchos raised cattle, sheep, horses and other livestock that more or less raised themselves. The Californios did little work themselves, relying on the former Mission Indians to do the vast majority of all agricultural work including sowing and harvesting of crops, irrigation, cattle herding, fence building, building construction, laundry, cleaning, cooking, etc. Nearly all male Californios rode to wherever they were going at all times, making them excellent riders. They indulged in many fiestas, fandangos, rodeos and roundups as the rancho owners often went from rancho to rancho on a large horse bound party circuit. Weddings, christenings, funerals and other church activities were all celebrated with large gatherings. California in this period has been described as a large unfenced pasture. The only fences were those required to protect crops from cows or horses eating or trampling them. The hides and tallow produced by the ranchos finally gave the Californio residents something to trade. A few ships a year brought manufactured goods like glass windows, nails, hinges, fancy shawls, boots, elaborate belts, capes etc. from Boston, Massachusetts and Britain to California and exchanged them for their hide-and-tallow "crop". By 1846 the mostly American whaling industry was being developed in the Pacific Ocean, again leading to a few whaling ships stopping in California for fresh water, wood and vegetables they could get in exchange for a few trade goods. Most Pacific whaling ships stopped at the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii) which had over 100 whaling vessels temporarily based there by 1845. To avoid the high custom duties (tariffs) of 40-100% imposed by the Californio authorities in Monterey, California, many preferred to first land in the San Francisco Bay area to get the most for their imported trading goods. Smuggling and bribery were common. Indian Decay Starting about 1825 the Mission Indian population started decreasing rapidly, as Indian deaths far exceeded births. The various acquired diseases and abuse of the Mission Indian population caused them to decline from over 80,000 in 1820 to only a few thousand by 1846. This process was sped up when in 1834–1836 the Mexican government, responding to complaints that the Catholic Church owned too much land (over 90% of all settled land in California), secularized (dismantled) the Missions and essentially turned the Indians loose to survive on their own. Most of the Indians went from doing unpaid labor at the Missions to doing unpaid labor as servants in the pueblos or workers on the ranchos. Other Indians returned to small Indian settlements in the sparsely settled Central Valley and Sierra Mountains of California. As the Mission Indians rapidly declined in population and the Missions were dismantled, most of the agriculture, orchards, vineyards, etc. which had been raised by the Mission Indians rapidly declined. By 1850 the Hispanic (Spanish speaking) population had grown to about 9,000 with about 1,500-2,000 adult males. By 1846 there were about 2,000 emigrant non-Hispanics (nearly all adult men) with from 60,000 to 90,000 California Indians throughout the state. Beginning in about 1844 the California Trail was established and started bringing new settlers to California as its relative isolation started to break. Mexican-American War The Mexican–American War began in May 1846, and the few marines and bluejacket sailors of the Pacific Squadron and the California Battalion of volunteer militia had California under U. S. control by January 1847, as all the pueblos in California surrendered without firing a shot. In February 1848 the war was over, the 25 years of Mexican rule with over 40 different Mexican Presidents was over, and the boundary disputes with Texas and the territorial acquisition of what would become several new states were settled with a $15,000,000 payment agreed at the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. California Gold Rush The California Gold Rush, beginning in January 1848, increased California's non Indian, non-Hispanic population to over 100,000 by 1850. This increased population and prosperity eventually led to the Congressional Compromise of 1850 which admitted California in 1850 as a free state—the 31st. Micronational History Draco Republic In 2007, the Draco Republic was formed by a group of school boys as a "youth militia and nation". After a series of small skirmishes inside the Draco Republic, which in 2010 join the rest of the micronational community in MicroWiki. During this time, the Draco Republic promptly harrased Danesland which resulted in a conflict with the Democratic Republic of Cliff Island, a now inactive micronation in East Carolina, ultimately ending in the signing of a treaty which was broken less than a week later by the Draco Republic, which dissolved in 2010 into the Runic Empire. Runic Empire After the controversy of the Draco Republic, the Runic Empire was pushed underground into the Youtube Sector, where it "wreaked havoc", yet again dissolving into the New Germanic States in early 2011. Keltia the New Germanic States did not last more than a week, and feel into inactivity for a year before the Nationia Conflict. During this, Vidhur decided to return to the micronational community with a "clean slate" per sae, under the pen name Octavian Cullens, forming a buddhist nation, before being shunned again from the community for being accused of vandalizing MicroWiki. After this, Vidhur returned again (as Vidhur), formally apologizing to the community and forming a celtic nation by the name of Keltia, with was reformed into the Workers' Democratic Republic under Freya in June 2012. Golden Era Forming the WDRuF was formed June 3rd, 2012. It was based on the extrasolar planet Gliese 1214 b, a planet thought to be composed of mostly liquid water, Sawtooth Peak in California, and a small swamp in Tulare County. Freyan-Flatland Treaty On July 9, 2012, Vidhur and Flatland leader Brayden Yates met and signed a treaty regarding an alliance between the nation. It was announced approximately a week later. The Hour Conflict On Wednesday, July 17 2012, the Dictator of Freya Vidhur was involved in a conflict between three nations, beginning with the declaration of war constituted by the Kingdom of Fortania and aimed at the People's State of San Andreas and the The Technocracy of Larusia. It ended almost an hour later due to the actions done by Vidhur. It ended with the surrender of Fortania and Fleeman being awarded "Hero of the People's State" by the People's State of San Andreas. Fleeman now hopes to open diplomatic relations with both sides of the conflict. Domusian-Appalachian-Freyan Feud In mid-July 2012, the Great Kingdom of Domus declared an unprovoked war on the Empire of Austenasia, but was abruptly met with ignorance. Later, after various meetings, the Great Kingdom of Domus declared war on several other nations, including the Worker's Republic under Freya. The war ended hours later with the annexation of Domus into Freya. Freyan Expedition to Sawtooth Peak An expedition to Sawtooth peak in California is planned for late July in 2012. The current Freyan flag is to be planted. Fleeman Incident In August 2012, Vidhur, the Dictator of the Workers' Democratic Republic under Freya, posted an dilated version of the Brogenian flag of better resolution on the Brogenian MicroWiki Page. When asked to not do it again, the Brogenian President was met back with "This is all quite comical". He again asked him to acknowledge his wrongdoing for not only supposedly changing the flag of a sovereign micronation without the consent of the government nor the people (although the alternate flag has no differences). This, of course, infuriated the Brogenian government, but being a peaceful nation with the belief of using diplomacy first and foremost to solve issues, they asked 2 more times to acknowledge his supposed mistakes and not do it again. Vidhur, refusing to "bow down" to the Brogenian government,responded with a poster depicting a knife slashing down the middle of the Brogenian Flag with the text "Freyjans - Pierce the heart of the oppressors!". He also posted it, along with this story, on the Brogenian MicroMiki Page. After the Brogenian President took it down, the next day, it was on again, due to Vidhur stating it belonged there and accusing Brandon Kim of hiding information. At 10:00 AM EST, President Brandon Kim sent his Declaration of War speech to the National Assembly, thus possibly starting the Brogenian-Freyan War, "all because a foreign citizen decided to upload an image of the national symbol of another nation and not acknowledge his "mistake"." Vidhur replied with the notion that "I replaced it because their flag looked like a ten year old made it. You know what, a ten year old probably DID make it." Dissolution Freya was dissolved at the end of 2012 by Vidhur after struggling with the concept of Annica. Forming of the Realm under Freya After the dissolution of Freya, Freya went into a period of chaos, nations being formed many times a day and falling within the same time period. Finally, Vidhur reformed the Second Californian Republic into a Kingdom and brought all ex-Freyan lands into one nation, the Realm under Freya. Timeline Pre-2009 *2007 - Formation of the Draco Republic *2008 - Series of small internal squirmishes inside the Draco Republic 2010 onwards *2010 - Draco Republic joins MicroWiki, promptly warmongers and vandalizes *2010 - Draco Republic dissolves into the Runic Empire *2010 - Runic Empire hacks into the emails of several nations *2011 - Runic Empire dissolves into the New Reformed Germanic States *2011 - New Reformed Germanic States falls into inactivity *2011 - Vidhur, under the pseudonym Octavian Cullens, forms the Democratic Republic of Avalokiteśvara. *2012 - Keltia is formed as a Celtic state, nearly joins the Saxon Empire *2012 - Keltia is reformed into the Workers' Democratic Republic under Freya *2012 - Freya is reformed into the Factionist State of Freya *2012 - Parts of Freya form into a county of Doshevika *2013 - All of ex-Freyan lands form the Second Californian Republic *2013 - Second Californian Republic undergoes reforms, becomes the Kingdom of California in the newly-formed Realm of Freya Government Law and order Foreign relations Military Geography and climate Freya is a rocky, mountainous nation to the east, while the south is very desert-like Culture See also *Peace Union *Coprania *Æbia *Nyclos *Hasanistan *Jera-Empire